Spiner Celebrates Trek's 40th With Fans

Brent Spiner (Data) joked with a reporter that there's nearly nothing he hasn't already been asked about Data, but added that he is tired neither of the character nor of Star Trek: "I don't feel pigeonholed by the role, and a lot of other things have happened as a result of playing it."

In the latest issue of the UK's Star Trek Magazine, excerpted at the Titan Magazines web site, Spiner told an interviewer that he was happy to be participating in anniversary celebrations for the franchise. "Is it really 40 years? It feels like 90. Maybe I'm younger than I think!" he quipped. "I can recall it premiering like any other show on NBC, so September 8, 1966 in itself was no big deal for me."

The actor was not a fan until college, watching "in the afternoon during daily re-runs", and finds it bemusing that "people who don't watch Star Trek are always interested in telling you that they donít" - something he does not understand. "It's all about respecting peopleís choices, and itís a good thing that the anniversary is high profile," Spiner said.

At the time of the interview, Spiner was in London at a convention, which he said was a way to show fans appreciation for their support of the series. "We're recognising that their choices are valid and it's ok to embrace this whole phenomenon," he said. "This characterís going to be with me for the rest of my life, one way or another."

The complete interview is in #130 of Star Trek Magazine. These excerpts are from Titan Magazines.